View Photos of the 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X / Denali Ultimate
With the new AT4X and Denali Ultimate, GMC attempts to elevate the Sierra 1500's off-road cred as well as its premium branding.
The 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 receives a substantial refresh that brings a snazzier front end, a more modern interior, and enhanced features. The Denali Ultimate now represents the fanciest model and the AT4X takes over as the most capable off-road. We've driven both, experiencing the former's Super Cruise hands-free driving tech and the latter's exclusive spool-valve dampers and electronic locking differentials.
The 2022 Sierra 1500 receives a variety of updates as part of a notable mid-cycle refresh that includes two new top-of-the line models, the Denali Ultimate and the AT4X.
The new Denali Ultimate surpasses the regular Denali as the most luxurious model in the Sierra 1500 lineup. With a starting price of $81,690, the Ultimate costs about $18,000 more than the base Denali.
The Denali Ultimate comes standard with a 10-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive and the choice of either a 420-hp 6.2-liter V-8 or a diesel 3.0-liter inline-six with 460 pound-feet of torque.
Compared with the regular Denali, the Ultimate version has different chrome exterior trim and unique 22-inch wheels. Its interior also has richer leather upholstery, a microsuede headliner, and special open-poor wood trim with a topographical map of Mount Denali etched into the cover of the upper glovebox.
The Denali Ultimate also comes standard with Super Cruise hands-free driving tech that can even change lanes on its own. We experienced the system on a congested highway in southern California and were impressed with how secure it felt during the brief drive.
Both the Denali Ultimate and AT4X have the new dashboard design that's also seen on some other 2022 Sierra 1500 models. It includes a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and a 13.4-inch touchscreen with Google-based software.
While the regular AT4 still offers impressive off-road capabilities, the new AT4X comes with exclusive equipment that raises the bar. Its most notable upgrades are electronic locking front and rear differentials and advanced Multimatic spool-valve dampers.
The AT4X only comes with the 420-hp 6.2-liter V-8, 10-speed automatic, and four-wheel drive. While we haven't tested an AT4X yet, we expect its performance to be similar to a 2019 AT4 with the same V-8 powertrain that hit 60 mph in 5.7 seconds.
We drove the AT4X at the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in California and came away impressed at how well its dampers smoothed out the ride and soaked up large bumps as we sped across the desert's washboard surface.
We also experienced the AT4X's rock-crawling abilities, which were aided by the truck's two electronic diffs and the new Terrain drive mode. The latter essentially replicates one-pedal driving at low speeds and worked well as we creeped over some treacherous rocky sections.
2022 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X
2022 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X
2022 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X
2022 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X
2022 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X
2022 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X
2022 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X
2022 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X
The Denali Ultimate also comes standard with Super Cruise hands-free driving tech that can even change lanes on its own. We experienced the system on a congested highway in southern California and were impressed with how secure it felt during the brief drive.
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